Angora rabbit pet owners can count themselves as members of a pretty high class group. Angora rabbits have been valued by the wealthy and powerful echelons of society as far back as the 18th century for one simple reason: their luscious fur. The most noticeable and main defining feature of Angola rabbits is their long, soft coat.
The Angora rabbit’s luxurious locks aren’t the only benefits of having these animals as pets. These rabbits are very docile blobs of fur and, due to the need of breeders to groom and harvest the fur from them, are quite used to human contact. This combined with their fluffy, soft fur make them perfect cuddling companions.
While these cuddly creatures do make for great pets, it is important to know how to care for them. Among the most important habits to develop to care for your Angora rabbit is a proper daily grooming routine. To learn about as well as feeding, bathing, pregnancy, and many other aspects to owning this bunny, read on further.
Do Angora Rabbits Make Good Pets?
Whether you are a breeder, a rabbit show competitor, or just a rabbit pet owner, Angora rabbits make for great pets. They have a peaceful, docile nature that lends well to a chilled relationship. Their need for regular grooming makes them very used to human contact.
Since their birth as a breed in Turkey and their subsequent migration to Francein the 18th century, these rabbits have long been sought out as pets for their soft and plentiful wool. Royalty in France took advantage of these bushy bunnies to make luxury garments with, though the history of the treatment of these animals isn’t always as pretty as their fur.
Due to its unique, thick coat of fur, Angora bunnies require owners and caretakers who are ready and willing to dedicate time to grooming. This maintenance is vital to the Angora rabbit’s health since, if left ungroomed, they can develop health problems such as wool block or wool mites.
In short, Angora rabbits can make great pets if you are willing to invest the necessary time to groom and care for them daily.
How Long Do Angora Rabbits Live for?
If your Angora rabbit lives inside and is well cared for, its lifespan will typically be between 7 and 12 years. However, this can vary depending on the type of Angora rabbit you have.
The care and grooming of these rabbits play a significant role in your pet’s lifespan. The two big health risks for Angora rabbits are wool blocks and wool mites. However, these can be easily avoided with, at least, weekly grooming and washing.
How Much is an Angora Rabbit?
To start off, the Angora rabbit itself costs anywhere from $50 to $250 USD. The price varies on the age of the rabbit as well as where you buy it from. However, the costs do not stop there.
To make sure you are truly prepared for having an Angora rabbit as a pet, you need to invest money in the following supplies.
Rabbit Cage.
This is a must-have for your furry friend. A cage serves as your rabbit’s home and shelter. You can find cheap cages online for as low as $20 USD. Or you can invest as much money as you want tricking out your Angora’s pad. After all, who doesn’t like to live in style?
Play Yard.
A recreational space is a great thing for any pet to have, and your Angora rabbit is no different. It will thrive with space to run around and play in. Given this, your rabbit can become quite the friendly player. This will offer you and your pet endless opportunities to bond through fun games and activities.
You can find a play yard online for as cheap as $20 USD or however much more money you would like to invest. It is recommended to have at least 35 square feet of space for your rabbit, but if it is available, more wouldn’t hurt.
Grooming Set.
Grooming is a very important part of keeping an Angora rabbit as a pet. Your grooming set should include, at least, a grooming comb and brush, but can also include shampoo, nail clippers, and scissors to trim its fur. Grooming sets can be found online for anywhere from $20 to $200 USD, depending on how much is included and how good the quality is.
Rabbit Pellets.
Angora rabbits require a pellet that is high in fiber and protein in order to grow thick and healthy hair. When shopping for rabbit pellets, look for food that has at least 18% protein. Since your rabbit will need only about a half cup of pellets per day, a bag of feed should last you a decent amount of time. This expense will only be about $3 USD per month.
During self-grooming, your Angora rabbit will ingest a good amount of its fur. To keep this fur moving along through its system and from blocking up your rabbit’s digestion, your Angora will need a good amount of hay to achieve its daily fiber intake. To get enough hay to meet your pet’s needs, expect to pay around $3 USD per month.
Fresh Green Vegetables.
An Angora rabbit will usually eat one to two cups of fresh vegetables per day as part of its diet. The monthly cost of meeting this diet requirement is usually around $10 USD per month.
Rabbit Litter.
A crucial step to maintaining proper bunny hygiene is to stock up your rabbit’s cage with litter. This will give them a sanitary way to take care of business when nature calls. A popular option for litter paper pellets. These are biodegradable and do not harm the rabbits if they happen to eat them. Depending on if you go with regular or higher-quality litter, this expense could be anywhere from $3 to $6 USD per month.
Veterinary Expenses.
This expense is hard to put numbers to since it largely depends on the nature of your pet’s sickness or injury and the varying rates of the vet you go to. All we can say is we hope this monthly expense is always low!
How Big is an Angora Rabbit?
The Angora rabbit’s size can vary depending on the type of Angora rabbit you have. The table below gives the size information for the four types of Angora recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association:
| Type | Weight | Fun Facts |
| English Angora | 5 to 7.5 pounds at maturity | It is the smallest type of Angora rabbit.
The most popular for shows due to its face and ear fur. Can produce 10 ounces to a pound of fiber per year. |
| French Angora | 7.5 to 10.5 pounds at maturity | Has a higher guard hair to wool ratio, which is ideal for new Angora rabbit owners.
Can produce around a pound of fiber per year. |
| Satin Angora | 6.5 to 10.5 pounds at maturity | Its coat has a unique shine, given to it from its breeding between a French Angora and a Satin rabbit.
Is on the lower end of wool production with only around half a pound per year. |
| Giant Angora | 9.5 to 10 pounds at maturity | Largest type of Angora rabbit.
Produces the most wool at one to two pounds of fiber per year. This type of Angora never sheds so the wool must always be harvested by hand. |
What Does the Angora Rabbit Eat?
Like any other rabbit, the Angora’s diet is made up of rabbit pellets, hay, and fresh green vegetables. The unique part of the Angora’s diet, though, is the amount of fiber and protein these rabbits need.
Their pellet food should contain at least 18% protein to help their wool coats grow in nice and thick. The fiber they get from their pellets and hay help keep their digestive system regular and prevent a potentially fatal wool block in their intestines.
How Much Do Angora Rabbits Eat?
An average sized Angora rabbit will need roughly a half cup of pellets per day. They also tend to eat one to two cups of fresh green vegetables per day and a sizeable handful of hay per day for its fiber.
What are the Different Types of Angora Rabbits?
Depending on who you ask, there are many different kinds of Angora rabbits. A list of Angora breeds can include the Chinese, English, French, Finnish, German, Giant, Korean, Satin, St. Lucian, and Swiss Angoras.
However, the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognizes only four types of Angora rabbit: French, English, Satin, and Giant. The International Association of German Rabbit Breeders (IAGARB) recognizes the German Angora as separate from the Giant Angora.
Are Angora Rabbits Hypoallergenic?
Angora rabbits are unfortunately not hypoallergenic. Due to the amount of wool fur they grow, many Angora rabbits shed their fur. Their fur contains dander and other allergy-provoking microorganisms that would not be friendly to anyone with allergies.
Since Angora rabbits were bred for their fur, they are known to be the least shedding breed of rabbit. This ensures that the maximum amount of hair stays on the rabbit for shearing. It also makes the effects of these rabbits less on those with allergies.
How Often Should You Shear Angora Rabbits?
Angora rabbits typically need to be given a haircut every 90 days. This is a very important practice to stay on schedule with. If an Angora rabbit’s hair grows too long, it can become matted and uncomfortable for the rabbit.
It can also increase the risk your bunny has of developing a wool block or wool mites. There are three humane ways that you can give your Angora a haircut and harvest its wool:
1. Despite the violent image this word may call to mind, plucking can actually be one of the most humane and effective ways of ridding your Angora of excess wool. You are simply using your fingers to gently remove the wool fur your rabbit has shed naturally. At no point should you be tearing the hair from your rabbit’s skin.
2. This is the closest to a haircut a bunny will get. During shearing, you are simply using scissors or an electric razor to trim down your rabbit’s fur. This isn’t as effective at harvesting wool as plucking is since you may cut off some guard hairs as well as wool. However, this is the quickest way and is no more painful to your Angora than a haircut is to you.
3. This is a great mix of the two aforementioned methods. Combing is faster than plucking and harvests better quality wool than shearing. All you need is a shedding comb and some quality time with your bunny to carefully comb away all the excess fur.
Why Do Angora Rabbits Have So Much Fur?
Angora rabbits were bred purposefully to make their fur as long as possible. In the 18th century when Angora rabbits were first bred in Turkey, breeders took breeds of rabbits with long hair and mated them with other breeds with long hair and eventually came up with the modern day Angora rabbit.
The main reason these rabbits were bred to have such long fur is for fashion. Back in the 18th century, and still today, Angora wool is a hot commodity in the fashion market. In the 1700s, French royal families and bureaucrats placed high values on these rabbits for their fur alone and they became popular household pets among high-society groups and individuals.
Are Angora Rabbits Friendly?
Angora rabbits are known for having calm and docile demeanors. They are very chill pets. In addition, because their long, thick coats of fur require them to be groomed daily, they are very used to human contact.
All of this translates in to a very friendly and playful, but not overly-energetic, pet rabbit.
How Many Babies Does an Angora Rabbit Have?
On average, Angora rabbits are comparatively low breeders for rabbits. Some people think that the wool production and the fertility rate in Angora rabbits are inversely proportional.
In any case, most Angora rabbits give birth to about 3 to 5 kits in a litter. However, some rabbits have been known to give birth to as many as ten to twelve kits, with higher ranges even reaching up to fifteen kits.
Do Angora Rabbits Bite?
Angora rabbits are naturally peaceful and docile animals. They have not been known to bite unprovoked. However, just like any animal or human, they will attempt to defend themselves if they feel threatened, and that can include biting.
Instances of biting can easily be avoided by caring for your Angora properly and handling it gently with care.
Can You Wash an Angora Rabbit?
It is possible to groom an Angora rabbit. However, Angora rabbits typically do not needs baths and can easily become stressed or agitated if washed. Though you can, you do not need to bathe your Angora rabbit too often, if at all.
However, if you do need to bathe your Angora follow these tips:
- Bathe only a part or small area of your Angora rabbit to avoid stressing it out too much by dousing it.
- Be sure to use a shampoo that will not dry out your Angora’s coat. Avoid any shampoos meant for humans and soap shampoos. The shampoo you use should be hypoallergenic and contain conditioners. Non-medicated shampoos meant for cats or dogs are usually fine to use with your rabbit.
- Use only warm water to keep your rabbit from becoming cold and only use a few inches so your rabbit can wade in it instead of having to swim.
- When lathering the shampoo on your Angora, be sure to be gentle. When rinsing, use a light stream of water or spread the water around using your hands.
- To dry your bunny off, use the warm setting on your blow dryer. The high setting will be too harsh on them.
How Do You Groom an Angora Bunny?
Grooming your Angora rabbit is a necessary part of owning such a fluffy bunny. Grooming should happen, at the very least, every week. If you want to ensure optimum health, appearance, and wool quality, daily grooming will be called for.
A wide-tooth comb and a slicker brush are all you need to keep your rabbit happy and healthy and to ensure good quality wool.
The process for grooming is quite simple. Place a towel on your lap and your rabbit on the towel facing away from you. Grab a handful of hair in one hand and, with the slicker brush in the other, gently run it through the tuft of fur from bottom to top.
Repeat this motion until you have combed all the fur covering your Angora. If you run across a matted spot, use the wide-tooth comb to gently break that section up then run through it with the slicker brush. If your Angora has facial or ear tufts, pay special attention to these as they tend to become matted more easily.
How High Can an Angora Rabbit Jump?
Angora Rabbits have been known to jump anywhere from under twelve to around 36 inches. The average Angora rabbit will most likely jump around twelve inches high. Show rabbits are the ones that tend to jump higher.
Do Angora Rabbits Smell?
If properly groomed and cared for, your Angora rabbit will not smell badly. Compared to other rabbit breeds, though, the Angora can smell a bit worse due to the all the wool they produce and shed. Some people have claimed that, when wet, the Angora rabbit’s wool can smell like a wet dog.
What Do Angora Rabbits Like to Play With?
Angora rabbits like to play with toys just like any other breed of rabbit. They also enjoy pumice blocks and twigs to chew on. Angora rabbits also like to play outside, though they should be supervised or limited to a pen to protect from predators.
Can Angora Rabbits Live Outside?
Angora rabbits can live outside, though they will need shelter from the elements, an enclosed space and places to hide as protection from predators, both on the ground and from the sky, and fencing that prevents them from digging under or escaping.
Another thing to keep in mind is if you let your Angora rabbit live outside full time, they will require daily groomings. Since they are more exposed to mud, dirt, twigs, and the elements, matting will definitely happen more often.
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